The Kiddway Collection
by BirdSpell
Summary: A series of oneshots revolving around the Kiddway pairing. Enter with caution, spoilers lurk within!
1. Unmanned

**Unmanned**

**The Kiddway Collection**

**Summary: **She wasn't sure what to do. He made her want to tell him... But secrets were secrets for a reason. How do you decide to tell someone you're a woman, anyway? The Unmanned mission from James's perspective.

**Word count: **1,806

**Hey everyone! I know I said I'd be working on some older stories, but I couldn't help it with this. So, yeah, I was watching YOGSCAST Hannah's playthrough of AC4, got to part 16 (the Unmanned mission). There's no harm in saying this as if you're reading this you've either finished the game or don't care about spoilers, so. My reaction: HOLY HELL KIDD'S A GIRL?! And then I wrote this. To clear up some things in the story for those of you who don't already know it (if you do know it, just skip this part):**

**Mary Read was, of course, a real pirate and she actually did pretend to be a boy. At first her mother forced to in order to replace her brother, who had died, but once she started sailing as a pirate she kept dressing as a guy and didn't tell anyone she was a girl. I'm pretty sure that in history only Calico Jack and Anne Bonney knew the truth. There's no record of whether or not she actually went by James Kidd.**

**Just warning you now, I've changed some of the lines in the cutscenes to fit the story better. Well, almost all of the lines.**

God damn him.

Mary hated it when she felt out of control. The nerve of him! Waltzing over to Kingston, _ruining _her kill, generally being an arse... Edward fucking Kenway. So she ran. She found the windmill and climbed up to the top to think. What to do... Bad enough she had to tell him she was an Assassin. No way she could let him get close enough to find out she was a _girl._ All pirates should ever know of her was James Kidd. No one could learn her secret unless she trusted them, or it was imperative to her survival. And yet...

And yet a part of her wanted to trust Edward Kenway. The part that wanted _someone_ to know, just so she wouldn't be the only one knowing this secret. Maybe if someone knew she'd get a chance to be a girl for once, not just the bastard son of William Kidd she'd been playing as her whole life. She liked being James Kidd, of course; if she hadn't she would've stopped years ago. But it was hard, constantly pretending, and she did wish that just for a day she could be Mary Read instead.

She heard movement below her. Kenway. Of course he couldn't just leave her to sulk. She did need to talk to him, to plan how to deal with Prins, but she would have liked some time to herself first. Ah, well. If he was coming up anyways... But she could still hear his voice as she chased after Prins and Torres, yelling for her to stop. She could still feel his arms wrapping around her waist so he could drag her to the ground, just meters from her targets. He had been _so close _to finding her out...

She was jolted from her thoughts by him sitting down beside her. He looked amazing in the light of the sunset. Not that she cared. It didn't matter whether she cared or not, even if she had, because Edward fucking Kenway still thought she was a boy. And it would stay like that. Because she didn't care about whether or not he liked her _at all_. And she wasn't going to say anything to him either.

"Kenway."

Goddammit.

"Kidd. Nice evening."

"Guess so. I wasn't really paying attention."

"Why not?"

Oh, go _away._

"I was thinking. We should try to get at Prins tonight, or he might move and then I'll have to spend _another_ few months tracking him down. He knows we're hunting him now; we'll have to do this soon."

"Do you have to bring that up?"

"Yes." Mary pointed to one of the alarm bells around Prins' home. "There are quite a few guards around. See those bells?"

"Aye."

"The way I figure it, they use those to summon aid if they see something they don't like. So what I think we should do is sabotage them, in case we're spotted. Don't want reinforcements coming to bother us."

"How do we get to Prins, though? Those are some strong looking gates, and well guarded."

Well, fuck. Mary had been hoping he wouldn't think of that. Then she could have distracted and killed the guards without him learning her secret. But he had thought of it. Edward _fucking _Kenway! Why did he have to be so observant? Of course, that made him good Assassin material. Uh, other than the very pirate-like focus on wealth and glory above all else.

"I'll distract them." She hesitated another moment before unsheathing her hidden blade and cutting her finger. She wiped the blood over her lips, resisting the urge to lick it off immediately. Then she reached up and undid the bandana keeping her long black hair out of the way. When Edward looked over again, it was Mary Read and not James Kidd who sat beside him. He blinked.

"Ready?"

"I'm guessing your name's not really James?"

"Not most days." And she leapt off the windmill.

LINEBREAK

He was doing well. Mary watched Edward as he sabotaged the bells. The sleep darts and blowpipe she had given him came in handy. Before long all the alarms had been dealt with, and Edward came close to the gates. Waiting for her to make a move. So she walked down the path, glaringly obvious, and faked a limp. She thought she was doing rather well. Apparently the soldiers at the gate agreed, as they stood and watched closely as she approached.

"Hey, lass! Are you all right?"

She looked up, forcing an expression of pain onto her face. "I've been shot! I need aid!"

They opened the gate and came over to her. "Take an arm, lass."

"Bless you."

Then she stabbed one in the throat with her hidden blade, spun around, and slashed his sword through the other's neck. Pity. They were only trying to be helpful. Edward walked over and through the gates. No words were exchanged, which was nice; she _didn't _want to talk about her little distraction at that moment. They stole into the mansion's grounds and split up. She had been looking around for a while when she heard someone moving around nearby. Being naturally curious, she went to investigate. She entered one of the rooms, felt something press against her temple, and heard the familiar sound of a pistol being cocked.

Well that was just perfect.

"What's a lass like you doing here?"

"Helping a friend," she managed. "Who're you?"

"None of your business."

She managed to turn partially and got a glimpse of his face before he spun her back to face front. One of his eyes was blue, the other amber.

"I know you!" Mary said, pleased. "Roberts, wasn't it?"

He growled. "Who's this friend of yours? That Templar from before?"

"Not exactly."

"Hmm." Roberts shoved her forward. "Let's go meet him."

LINEBREAK

At least Prins was dead. Mary could just see his body from where she stood. Unfortunately, Edward hadn't noticed her on the balcony above him yet. Well, she'd have to fix that.

"Head's up Kenway! I found your man!"

He turned. She could just make out the subtle tightening of his eyes as he spotted one of his allies being held captive with a gun pressed against her head. Now why was she so pleased to be his ally? It wasn't like she cared what he thought of her. Besides, she had bigger things to worry about. Like the pistol against her skull. She preferred to be the one holding the weapon, thank you.

"You're that Templar from Havana!"

"That was a ruse, mate. We've come to save your arse from this slaver!"

"Save me?! I work for Mister Prins!"

Oh, that didn't bode well for her.

"Then he's a poor man to call master. He was planning to sell you out to the Templars!"

"Really? Well you can't trust anyone these days."

Okay, time to go. She half-turned and punched Roberts in the head. Once the gun moved she swung herself off the balcony. He tried to aim the gun at her, but she ducked underneath before he could. So he shot a nearby alarm bell instead. As the guards began to appear, Mary slid away from the balcony and over the wall. She spared a glance at Kenway before she left. There were too many guards; nothing she could do. He'd have to get himself out. She managed to dodge the few guards chasing her. There were benefits to the fact most men saw women as weak. It made escaping much easier. Soon there were none left on her tail, and she settled down to wait.

Just as she was beginning to worry something had gone even more wrong, Edward walked over. She smirked.

"Miss your man again, Kenway?"

"Aye. Roberts is a strange man, with a queer aversion to kindness. I guess that's two men I've lost today. So, what's your real name, lass?"

"Mary Read to my mum, and them I call friends." She walked a bit closer to him. "But don't you dare tell a soul about this, or I'll unman you faster than you can think."

Mary winked, then left quickly, before he could respond. Couldn't have him coming up with some witty remark. She smiled quietly to herself.

"Until next time, Kenway."

**So, what'd you think? I adore this pairing, so this might become quite a long series. Also, if you have any suggestions for oneshots, short arcs, songfics, etcetera, let me know and I might put it in. It just has to involve some form of Kiddway. You can do romantic, brother-sister, one being really protective towards the other, or whatever, I don't care. But until further notice, nothing that fits into the game's plotline past the part where Edward and Vane are marooned. That's as far as I've gotten in the playthrough and I don't want any spoilers. Until next time, and **

**REVIEW**

**-Bird**


	2. Rescue Me Part 1

Rescue Me

The Kiddway Collection

**Summary: **When Mary is captured by the Templars, she expects the Assassins to send help. But they don't know she's in danger. So Edward Kenway takes it upon himself to save his friend…

**Word Count: **2,187

**Hey everyone! Wow, I can't believe how many people like this. It's only been up two days. I suppose it's probably got something to do with the fact there's only, like, five Kiddway fics. Speaking of which, someone needs to write more. I've read all the non-spoiler filled ones already. So, this takes place about a month after the Unmanned mission. I'm changing the game's timing slightly, but most stories in here will fit in the canon timeline. After all, we don't know what's happening between missions…**

It was an ordinary day until the Templars showed up.

Edward and Mary had been exploring Nassau. There was a lot that hadn't been looked through yet, and they weren't going to give up on the chance for a bit of discovery and hunting. All in all it was an arrangement they were happy with. They got a bit of time away from the insanity that was the life of a pirate (or Assassin), as well as a chance to gather some hunting goods. Mary had just gotten back from Kingston, searching for leads on Roberts. There weren't any, which was annoying, but Edward had taken it well. No real complaining or trying to literally shoot the messenger. Mary hadn't _expected _him to, but if there was one thing she'd learnt over the years it was to never trust an irritated pirate. In any case, it was nice to have a chance to relax before heading out to speak with her Mentor.

Lesson one of being despised in certain circles: never relax.

The Templars seemed to come out of nowhere. Edward and Mary both cursed their lack of vigilance, but there was nothing to be done about it now. All that was left to do was fight. So they did. Drawing weapons and killing with every stroke. They were highly trained, perfectly conditioned for this duty. Mary had many years of training as an Assassin; they both had on-the-spot training from years of pirating. But the Templars also had training, and something else: sheer force of numbers. The two pirates did their best, but there were too many enemies. Before long, they were forced to their knees before the Templar captain. His eyes slid over Edward, then landed on Mary.

"Ah… James Kidd. The bastard son of Captain Kidd. We were told you'd be here. You've been a thorn in our side for a few years now, but no more."

He nodded, and one of his underlings slammed the butt of his pistol into the Assassin's head. She crumpled, vision fading. Edward struggled against the grip of the Templar keeping him from rising. Mary saw the desperation in his eyes as he fought to get free, to _help_ her. But there was nothing he could do. She was barely conscious, and even as she thought it the Templar hit her with the pistol again.

"James!"

LINEBREAK

Edward fought the Templar's hold. Mary was in danger, unconscious. The Templars obviously wanted her alive, but there was no telling how long she'd stay that way. He had to help her, though he was in just as much danger as her. But who cared? His friend might _die_. If he couldn't save her, what use was he? As he struggled, one of the Templars picked up Mary's unconscious body, slung her over his shoulder, and carried her away. Heading northeast, Edward noted. Towards the harbour. The captain pulled out a pistol and aimed it at the pirate.

Then Edward escaped. Grabbing the wrist of the Templar holding him, he pulled the man down over his shoulder just as the captain pulled the trigger. His captor screamed in pain as the bullet entered his back, then fell silent. His grip loosened, and Edward ran. Climbing the nearest tree he headed south, then looped around to run northeast. The Templars tried to block him but he avoided them, pushing the ones unfortunate enough to be in his way to the ground far below. He heard the cracks of their bones hitting the ground, but in his mind there was a different sound playing. The sickening noise of that gun slamming into his friend's head.

He followed them to a ship in the harbour. A ship that, coincidentally, was right beside the _Jackdaw_. Edward leapt onto the deck of his beloved brig and ran to the wheel. Standing there for a second, he allowed the Templar vessel to leave. Then he followed.

"Get me every inch of speed you can! Adè, keep that galleon in sight!"

His quartermaster nodded. "What's so important about that particular ship?"

Edward spun the wheel, bringing the _Jackdaw_ to the perfect position to tail the galleon. "Young Master Kidd's gotten himself captured; we're going to save him."

"They must have been skilled to catch him."

"They were."

After that, there were no interruptions. They didn't understand it, but the entire crew had some idea of how much their captain cared for the younger pirate. Edward wasn't quite sure what it was either. He had first felt the surge of protectiveness when they faced off against Prins. Seeing Roberts hold that gun to her head almost made the pirate kill the man he needed to speak to. He knew Mary could take care of herself, but he still wanted to protect her. Even Caroline hadn't made him feel like that. Of course, Caroline wasn't a young pirate Assassin who made more enemies in a week than most would make in a lifetime…

He dragged himself out of his thoughts and grabbed his spyglass. He wanted to know more about the ship he was chasing. She was… the _H.M.S. Sure Prize._ He almost laughed. A name like that was just asking for the ship to be attacked. But they couldn't. Mary was probably still unconscious- in a sea battle she'd be in danger. They would wait.

LINEBREAK

He didn't know what the place they had arrived at was called. Not that he cared. The _Sure Prize_ had docked between two of the four towers of the fort. The _Jackdaw_ had used the fog that had risen during the voyage to sail off to one side and dock there. Edward had jumped overboard at the main dock and snuck ashore. He had watched as the Templars brought Mary- now conscious, but looking somewhat off balance –into the fort. That was twenty minutes ago. Now it was getting dark, and Edward was preparing to infiltrate the Templar base.

He slid up against the wall and activated his Eagle Vision. There were only a few guards above him. He climbed up, chose an empty stretch of the wall, and pulled himself over. Quickly finding a doorway, Edward ducked into an interior hallway. No one seemed to be coming… Calling on his Eagle Vision again, he hunted for the shimmer of blue that would denote an ally. There! On one of the lower floors. At least five enemies in the same room. Fine. He could kill them. He was so close to her now, there was no way he`d let anything slow him down.

He quickly made his way down through the halls. He only stopped when he remembered he'd have to get Mary _out_ again, and there was no telling what sort of state she`d be in. Then he headed back up to the walls and killed every guard he could find. He made his way back, this time ensuring not a single Templar survived. Only then did he find a way to the room his friend was in. Well, the _cell_ his friend was in. Pressing his ear to the door, he listened to the Templar captain questioning her.

"I'll give you one last chance; where is the Assassin base?"

"Sorry. Not a word."

He heard the sharp snap of a whip and a hiss of pain. "Fine, then. Who was that man with you when we captured you?"

"A friend."

"Yes, what is his name?"

"Fuck off."

Edward heard the sound of a pistol being cocked, then a soft sigh from Mary.

"Again with this gun-to-my-head thing."

Then the pistol went off. He heard a cry of pain, then he was inside the room and fighting. Two Templars were dead before they knew he was there. Two more fell equally fast. Soon the only one left was the captain. Edward knocked to the floor and stabbed him in the chest. Then he _twisted_ it. The man`s howl of agony was good to hear. He shoved the dying Templar to the floor, refusing to grant him the mercy of a quick death. Then he ran to the centre of the room where Mary sat, tied to a chair. Blood gushed from her leg where the captain had shot her, as well as from several lash marks from the whip one of the others had been holding. She was trembling.

"Mary, Mary, it's all right, you're safe now."

"Oh, god. Oh god…"

Edward desperately tore some cloth from his robes and wrapped it around her leg. Then he took some off the corpses and tied that on as well.

"That'll have to do for now… Come on, Mary, let's get to the _Jackdaw_."

He untied her from the chair, and she instantly slid forward. He barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground. "Shit, Mary? Mary, wake up."

The Assassin opened her eyes, but it was clearly a struggle. Edward slid an arm under her shoulders and helped her into a sitting position. He tried to get her standing, but her legs wouldn't support her and she crumpled to the bloodstained floor. Edward carefully knelt beside her and moved her head onto his lap. She shifted, trying to get up, and he rested a hand on her chest to hold her down.

"Kenway, let me go."

"Don't bother with talking. Save your energy for when we have to get moving."

"We don't have time. The Templars… They know the general area of the Assassins' base. They only wanted details off me. We have to warn them."

"And if you collapse because of blood loss how do we do that? You're the only one I know who they'll allow near them."

"But we can't stay here…"

"All right…" He slipped one arm beneath Mary's shoulders and the other one under her legs. He stood. "Does this work for you?"

"I suppose… Just until we get in sight of the _Jackdaw._ No way I'm letting your crew see you _carrying_ me."

"Fair enough."

Mary smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder and shutting her eyes. Edward didn't want to disturb her, but he pretty much ran to the door. Blood was still dripping from beneath the makeshift bandage, and he had to get her to the supplies aboard the _Jackdaw_ before she lost too much. No way he was letting her die. He quickly navigated the halls, avoiding the corpses littering the ground, and ran along the shore outside the fort until he saw his ship in the distance. Then he stopped, nudging the young woman in his arms.

"James. We're almost there."

She stirred, and he lowered her feet until she could stand. Then he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and helped her get her arm around his. He began walking, slowly enough that she wouldn't fall behind. A pang tore through him to see the Assassin, usually so quick and balanced, struggling to stand. As they got closer to the _Jackdaw_, Adè lowered a gangplank so the two could get aboard. Edward brought her down to his cabin. He knew she wouldn't want to be anywhere his crew could see her.

Soon they would head off to warn the Assassins.

**There! So, this is the first arc of this collection. I've got a couple questions though. First, does Blackbeard ever find out Mary's a girl? Hell, does anyone find out other than Edward, Anne, and Calico Jack? Second, Mary's accent, which I am in love with, by the way. Is it Yorkshire, or a mix of Scottish and English? Because I'm not sure and it's driving me nuts. Also, if you play the game there is actually a ship that might show up called the _Sure Prize_, which must be the dumbest name for a ship ever. It's like saying, 'pirates! Come here and rob us!' I guess no one said these people were smart... Well until next time, and**

**REVIEW**

**-Bird**


	3. Jealousy

Jealousy

The Kiddway Collection

**I saw the part of YOGSCAST Hannah's playthrough (part 22) where they destroy the blockade. Then the part after that, where Edward's sleeping with a whore and Mary shows up… She was so jealous. Goddammit Edward, open your eyes! And then she got all pissed… :) We have Kiddway, people! So I wanted to do another mission response, like I did with Unmanned. By the way, all my mission responses take place in a different timeline then my arcs and other assorted oneshots, so this has nothing to do with Rescue Me. Enjoy!**

**I don't own Edward, Mary, Adè, or Assassin's Creed Black Flag. Of course, Ubisoft doesn't own Mary either…**

**Word count: 1,325**

Damn him.

That little ass. _Ruined _Nassau, then what did he do? Found himself a fucking whore instead of doing something useful for once. Why couldn't he just _think?_ It wouldn't kill him! What did she _see _in him, anyway? He was a useless, self-obsessed, shallow, gorgeous- and there it was again. She knew he wasn't perfect. Nobody was. But he didn't even _try!_ With a bit of work he'd be half-decent, but that was too much work for him, wasn't it? She could almost see why his wife left him. Almost. Anyone with eyes could see how much her leaving had hurt him. It made her want to punch the little bitch in the gut, same way she did when her crew got too rowdy.

Mary spun a chair around and sat, straddling it. She reached out and slapped his hand, successfully waking him up. He looked over.

"Ahoy, Kidd. You missed quite a time."

"Aye. Pity about Nassau. And Blackbeard flying the coop."

"Oh, we'll see about Thatch." Edward sat up, pushing the whore's leg off him. "Vane's off to see him now, and I'm following soon."

She noticed he carefully avoided mentioning Nassau. Mary sensed Adè walking up behind them. He at least had the intelligence to stay back, which was more than most pirates would do. She focused on Edward again.

"This is what's left of your experiment in democracy?" She gestured at a drunk pissing into a bucket behind him. He glanced over, then turned back to her.

"Aye, we do as we please here. And take our time doing it."

"For Christ's sake, Edward. Don't anything but the stink of riches wrinkle your nose?"

He glared at her, somewhat drunkenly. "What's got into you, man?"

Enough was enough. She was done with Kenway, done with Nassau, _more _than done with the conversation. She was going sailing.

"Reality, mate. Reality." She stood and walked off, hesitating beside Adè. "Make sure you ain't pulled into the drink by this drowning rat." Then she walked down the stairs.

"Oy! I've lived longer than most men who trod this path!"

She barely paused before continuing on her way. An unfamiliar burning sensation was in her throat. She sighed. If she was honest, she knew what it was. She was jealous. Mary Read, James Kidd, one of the most feared pirates on the seas, was _jealous_ of some whore. Why couldn't Edward just open his eyes? He was so blind to the emotions of those around him. All he had to do was look a bit further below the surface, and he'd see what she was trying to tell him.

_Look at me, Kenway. I care about you, I want you to be happy, just look at me as more than just a comrade-in-arms and start seeing me as someone who… someone who loves you._

Because that was the truth. She was deeply, inexplicably in love with Edward fucking Kenway. She didn't know how it happened, but the moment she talked to him, _really_ talked to him, she knew he could be an amazing man. He was kind, gentle when he wasn't too drunk to see straight, handsome, brave… But he was so thickheaded! He kept getting drunk, hiring whores, putting himself in danger just for the hell of it… Why couldn't he see just how much he was hurting her? She loved him, too much to possibly extricate herself from it. He just… Well, hell if she knew.

One of her biggest fears? She was scared that he knew exactly how she felt. If that was true he would know exactly how it hurt to see him carrying on with all these _bought_ women, and he was doing it anyway. That was the sort of betrayal she wouldn't be able to stand. But why did she care? Of all the men she could have fallen for, why did it have to be him? He was… crazy and clever and amazing, but she didn't really need that, did she? It didn't matter, she kept insisting to herself. _He_ didn't matter. He didn't love her. She couldn't love him. That was the way things were, and if she didn't like it, well too bad. Ah Tabai wouldn't be pleased if he could see her thoughts. Could see her running after a_ daydream_. But she was surprised, and a little scared, to realize she didn't care. Maybe one day she'd tell him how she felt, but until then she'd have to deal with the jealousy.

LINEBREAK

What was she so pissed about? Mary had never gotten quite so mad at him before. Edward ran a hand through his blonde hair and sighed. He would _never_ understand Mary Read. As if he needed to. He was a pirate, and pirates- well, male pirates –took advantage of whores when on land. She knew that. If that was what it was about. She had just… snapped. It wasn't like she gave a damn about what he did, was it? It would actually be kind of nice if she did, but she didn't, so he'd have to deal with that.

He didn't care what she thought. He _didn't._ So why did it sting when she ignored him? More to the point, why didn't she care? Was he just not good enough for her? He wasn't cut out for a home life, that much was clear, but that had never bothered anyone before. Except for Caroline… He winced. He tried to avoid thinking about his wife. He should've been better to her, and now he always felt vaguely unfaithful whenever he spent time with whores, which made sense, or _Mary,_ which made no sense at all. She was his friend, nothing more. She'd probably unman him if he tried to do anything more. No laws against him having female friends, right?

But the way she reacted… A bit much, all things considered. They'd lost Nassau, which wasn't his fault. Thatch had left, which also wasn't his fault. He had chosen to have some company… Jaysus, that _had_ to be it! She was upset about the whore, but why? She had to be used to it, and they chose that line of work for the most part anyway… Was she… No. She couldn't be _jealous?_ Of a _whore? _That wasn't like her. Mary didn't care who men slept with; after all, every man she knew other than him and possibly Ah Tabai thought she was a boy. But that meant… If she was jealous…

No. No way. That was crazy. Mary Read couldn't possibly be in love with _him…_

Could she?

**And done! A good length mission response. Longer than I was expecting, to be honest. I just liked the idea of Mary storming off then Edward looking at Adè and just asking 'what did I do?' all innocent-like. Anyhow, until next time and**

**REVIEW**

**-Bird**


	4. Rescue Me Part 2

Rescue Me Part 2

The Kiddway Collection

**Summary: **Now that Mary's safe, the two pirates have to warn the Assassins that the Templars have some idea where their base is. The only problem? Someone set Mary up to be captured and tipped off the Templars… And the Assassins aren't entirely sure it wasn't Edward. Now they have to clear his name and find the traitor, without revealing any of their many secrets to the pirates of Nassau…

**Word count: **1,918

**So, here's part 2. I have a limited amount of time, so let's get this done. For the sake of this, Mary is actually William Kidd's bastard daughter. I'm not sure if she was in the game or if that was just a story she made up, but I think it would probably be a bad idea to **_**pretend **_**to be related to such a famous pirate, so it would make sense if she just changed her gender and kept her family affiliations. On with the show.**

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

"We've been over this, Kenway. As long as I'm with you, they shouldn't bother you."

"Your Mentor said in no uncertain terms that I wasn't welcome here."

"You're helping me. We'll figure something out."

"Meaning you don't know what'll happen."

"Oh shut up."

Mary sat on the railing of the _Jackdaw_ beside the wheel as Edward prepared to bring them in to dock at the Assassins' base. It had been a few months since the incident with the Templars, and she had insisted they had to warn the Assassins that someone had told the Templars their general location. She had also insisted that Edward was coming with her, and no matter how many times she had explained why he still didn't get it.

"So, tell me one more time; _why_ do I have to go with you to speak with them?"

Mary sighed. "You're going to help me find whoever gave the Templars their information; as such I should probably warn my Mentor that you'll be coming with me to any meetings where he gives me any information he's managed to find. Otherwise there is a slight chance they'll kill you on sight."

"That might happen anyway."

"If I warn them first I'll have a legitimate reason to quit if they kill you."

Edward blinked. "So… Let me see if I understand. You're bringing me with you so you can tell them I'm helping you so you can quit if they kill me?"

"There's more to it than _that_, but basically, yes."

"Uh… thanks?"

"Don't mention it."

"Anything else to say?"

"No, that's about it."

The ship pulled up at the dock, and Mary jumped down to the deck below. "Come on then, Kenway!"

Edward raised an eyebrow, then followed the Assassin.

LINEBREAK

Ah Tabai looked at the two pirates in front of him. "James. It has been several months; did something happen?"

Mary inclined her head to the other Assassin. "Templars, Mentor. They attacked us in Nassau."

"How many?"

"A few hundred, maybe? I'm not certain."

"Even such a large number of enemies wouldn't hold you off for so long. What _exactly_ happened?"

"Well…" Mary proceeded to quickly relate the story of her capture, Edward's rescue, and the months of recovering and planning that had led to the current moment. "…And so it seems as though there's a traitor among us," she summed up. "Whoever it is, they either don't know our exact location or don't have the stomach to sell us out completely. Whichever it is, we should have some time before the Templars find us. All the ones from last time are either dead or scattered, so they aren't informing their masters- Ah, Mentor, why're you looking at Kenway?"

"The last occasion we were attacked here was his fault. How can we be sure this time isn't as well?"

Edward stared at him. "What?!"

"Mouth shut Kenway, you're not helping! Mentor, last time he didn't know we existed. Besides, he saved my life!"

"We cannot be _sure_."

Mary was clearly struggling to avoid saying something, most likely very unflattering. "Mentor, just give me some time. I'll try to find some information, clear his name, find our traitor."

"Very well. But I can't give you long. Be quick. If you do not discover anything soon, we will have to assume he is the one responsible."

Mary nodded respectfully, and the two pirates walked off.

LINEBREAK

"How the _hell_ can that bastard think this is _my_ fault?!"

"Nothing wrong with being a bastard, Kenway. I'd prefer it if you didn't use that as an insult, at least not when I'm around."

"Sorry, I keep forgetting. But you almost _died!_ How could that b- ah, that asshole think I'd put my friend's life on the line for a bit of coin?!"

"Well, you did endanger the entire Brotherhood for a bit of coin," Mary pointed out.

"I didn't know they existed," Edward retorted. "It wasn't deliberate."

Adè walked over to them. "Captain, the crew is getting restless. Where are we going?"

Edward thought about it. "Nassau. The others are probably just as curious about our absence," he pointed out as Mary glared at him. "Besides, it's possible they know something we don't."

She sighed. "Unlikely, but fine."

"A small lead is better than nothing at all."

"True… But when we're done we should probably head back to that fort. It's possible there's something there."

Edward shuddered. "I'd really rather avoid that place…"

"Believe me, so would I. But if there's a chance to clear you, we have to take it."

Adè headed to the wheel. "I'll get us going then?"

"Aye," Mary replied. Edward smirked at her.

"You're willing to go to that place again for me?"

"Of course. You _are _my friend after all, aren't you?"

She stood, then walked to the railing and sat there. He smiled and followed, taking the wheel from his quartermaster.

"All right lads! Let's hear a song out of you!"

They grinned at their captain and his guest, then gathered for a moment to discuss. Then they pulled apart, laughing.

"_I was Captain Kidd_

_As I sailed, as I sailed._

_I was Captain Kidd,_

_As I sailed."_

Mary laughed. "Really, lads? I get enough of this from my own crew!"

There were some good natured jeers from the pirates not singing. She smirked and joined in the chorus.

"_I was Captain Kidd_

_As I sailed, as I sailed._

_I was Captain Kidd,_

_As I sailed…" _

LINEBREAK

"Kidd, Kenway! Where've you been the last couple months?"

Edward smirked at Blackbeard. "It's a long story, Thatch. You'll have to ask James."

"These lips are sealed, Kenway."

"…And he's not telling you. I guess you're getting nothing."

Mary rubbed her hands together. "Well, let's get to business. You know anything about large groups of soldiers hanging around in the area?"

"Aye, as a matter of fact. They've been wandering around for a while."

"What?!" The two of them shared a glance. "They're really hunting for this," Mary said grimly.

"Who?"

"Enemies. Long story."

"Alright… Well they might be around now if you want to take a look."

They nodded.

LINEBREAK

"That's a lot of enemies."

"Oh shut up, Kenway."

The three pirates crouched behind a log, watching the Templar army. They were definitely searching for something. Mary looked at Edward.

"So what now, Mister 'Let's go to Nassau instead of somewhere slightly easier to search?'"

"Oi!"

"Shut up, Thatch."

"Don't tell me to shut up, boy!"

"Shut up! You're going to get us noticed!"

"Why are we even here? It's not like we can hear what they're saying."

Mary smiled. "Hear what they're saying. Genius, Thatch."

"Jim, what're you planning?"

"Watch and learn, Kenway."

Mary climbed up a nearby tree, then ran along the branches until she was above the Templars. Edward smirked, then followed. He caught up to her and she touched a finger to her lips. He nodded and focused on the conversation directly below them.

"…So why're we still here? The only Assassin around here is James Kidd, and there's no way that bastard's gonna betray them. He'd rather die."

"Well, the captain says if we can… _convince_ him, there'll be a good reward in it for us."

Mary tensed. Edward reached out a hand and rested it on her shoulder. She smiled at him, then pointed at the two soldiers in a silent message to keep listening.

"But all these people?"

"It worked last time. And Governor Torres wants to know about that other man as well, the one who saved Kidd. Apparently he's caused quite a lot of trouble, if you know what I mean…"

"He's the one who killed Prins?!"

"Yes."

A third soldier walked over. "Hey, speaking of that, any word on who that girl with him was?"

"Who knows? If we can find the man, perhaps he'll be more willing to sell out his friends than _Captain Kidd Junior_ was."

The eavesdroppers shared a look. Then one of the three soldiers glanced off to one side. "Hey! Over there!"

Everyone in the vicinity looked in the direction he was pointing. There was Blackbeard, trying to stay out of sight in a nearby bush. Some of the soldiers took off after him. A couple more began searching around the area. One, unfortunately, looked up.

"Up there!"

"Shit! Come on Kenway, time to go!"

The two of them dropped quickly to the ground and took off. Mary pulled Edward off to the right.

"Jim, why're we going this way?"

"Waterfall."

"Water- oh, no. You can't be serious."

"Leap of faith. I've jumped these falls; we _should_ survive."

"Should?"

"Well, these things are never certain."

"Perfect."

During this conversation they'd reached the falls. Mary looked over the edge. "Oh. Maybe it wasn't _these_ falls. I could've sworn they were lower..."

"Oh, perfect! Well done! Now we're stuck here with about two hundred Templars on our tails, and there's absolutely _no_ way of escaping them!"

"Well it was _your_ idea to come to bloody Nassau!"

Edward looked over the edge of the falls. "Hang on. Down there. Is that…?"

"Thatch, aye."

Just then, the Templars appeared from among the trees. The two pirates backed right up against the edge of the falls. Mary looked at Edward.

"Leap of faith time."

"James, we are _not _jumping off this waterfall!"

"Then stay here and get shot!"

"Fine. In case we don't survive-"

"I know. Same to you. Ready?"

"Last time you asked if I was ready you ended up with a gun to your head."

"Ah, we made it, didn't we?"

"Barely!"

The Templars raised their muskets. The two pirates smiled at each other one more time, turned, and leapt off the cliff to the sound of gunfire.

**Whew! My wrists are so stiff from all this typing. No long end note today, you'll be glad to hear. Until next time, and**

**REVIEW**

**-Bird**


	5. Rescue Me Part 3

Rescue Me Part 3

The Kiddway Collection

**Word Count: **1, 575

**Summary: **Things are getting more dangerous by the second as Mary and Edward hunt for the traitor, and now they have to figure out who to trust with the secret of the Assassins… Before their enemies tear them apart.

**No. No, no, no, NO. Fuck it Ubisoft! For those of you who are wondering what the hell I'm on about, two words: Jamaican prison. Yup, for me Mary is now officially dead. And I'm crying. The Templars will all die for this… So, yeah, I'm now working on an AU where Mary LIVES, because fuck history, and AC canon, and anything else that would stop me from bringing her back. I'll start posting that as soon as I've got it written. Until then, I'm going to lock my inner Assassin's Creed fan in a closet and let her mourn in peace. Enjoy part 3 of this arc.**

**I own nothing, because if I owned AC I'd have found a way to keep Mary alive.**

Blackbeard was walking along the shore of the lake under the waterfall when his friends fell out of the sky.

He had managed to shake the soldiers chasing him, through a mixture of luck and well-placed pirate friends. The lake, he had decided, was a safe place to stay until things had cooled off a bit. Besides, it was a place he, James, and Kenway had all used as a hiding place in the past; there was a chance they'd look for him, then he could ask exactly what James had done to piss off those soldiers. He heard the sound of gunshot from the top of the cliff and looked up, slightly worried. Then he noticed the two rapidly falling bodies.

The splash as they hit the water was quite impressive. At least three metres high. He moved back a ways to avoid the liquid as it fell onto the shore. When he moved back to the edge, he saw the trail that marked someone swimming to the shore. He held out a hand to help whoever it was out and Edward appeared, gasping and coughing.

"Goddammit James! That is the _last_ time I'm ever following one of your ideas-"

Then he noticed Blackbeard. "Thatch? You got away?"

Thatch didn't like the note of surprise in Kenway's voice. "Of course I did!"

"It's not that I doubt your abilities, it's just that _we _barely managed to escape, and- wait. Where is he?"

"What, Kidd? I figured he ran off somewhere else."

"No, he was with me. Shit!" He dove back into the water, surfacing a moment later with the younger pirate. Blackbeard grabbed Kidd's arms and pulled him out of the lake. Edward boosted himself out and crouched beside them.

"Jim, you alright?"

James muttered something, panting.

"What?"

"I said, 'fuck off and let me _breathe_."

"Ah." Edward sat back.

"Never again, can I just say that now? Oh, and I was perfectly capable of getting out _on my own, _thanks very much."

"Kidd, you're bleeding."

Was that… _concern_ in Edward's voice? Thatch had never considered him the type to ever be concerned for a pirate who had proved many times over he could take care of himself.

"Huh? Oh, right."

James pressed one hand to the bullet wound on his shoulder that Thatch hadn't noticed until then. "It's nothing, really. One of 'em just clipped me as we jumped is all. Would've been a miracle if we _hadn't_ gotten hit."

"Wait a second." The other two looked at the older pirate questioningly. "You _jumped _off there?"

"Aye." Edward turned to James. "Speaking of which, next time one of your plans involves jumping off a bloody waterfall, _tell _me first."

"Oh, fine. Though that's not nearly as much fun."

The way the two of them were talking… It was more the sort of thing Thatch had come to associate with a couple of love-struck children, most notably Anne and Rackham. But that wasn't it… was it? They were both young _men_, and Edward at least had shown he was interested in women, though the older pirate had his suspicions about James's preferences.

"So… what was that about?"

Kidd waved a hand airily. "Oh, you know, enemies."

"Enemies who hate you so much that they're willing to send an entire army after you? Don't play dumb, boy."

He chuckled weakly, shivering. "It's kind of a l-long story…"

Edward wrapped an arm around the younger boy's shoulders. "It is a _bit _cold. Come on, we can continue this inside. _Can't we,_ Thatch?"

Blackbeard stood. "Oh, all right."

LINEBREAK

"So, I want answers."

James sighed. "What do you want to know? We've already told you everything."

His coat and Edward's robes were hanging over the fire in the empty tavern, steaming slightly as they dried. The Welshman was currently wearing simple ragged white pants from his ship and no shirt, and Thatch was pretty sure he had seen James eyeing him appreciatively at least once. Oddly enough James had refused to change completely out of his wet clothes and put dry ones on, so he was still wearing his simple white shirt and brown pants. It was the sort of oddity Thatch had grown used to over the years, despite the fact it was still strange a young pirate would never take his shirt off. That, however, was none of his business.

"No, you've carefully avoided telling me anything. We sailed together long enough that I know when you're avoiding the question. Who were those people? Why were they after you? And what the hell did they mean when they called you an assassin?"

The other two tensed. "Well…" James began, "they aren't anyone in particular. Just people I know. I've caused them a _bit _of trouble over the years-"

Edward snorted. "A bit?"

"You shut up. _Any_ways, they have the resources to send an army after me and some of my br- ah… associates."

"What associates?"

"No one in particular. So that's all your questions answered, I should probably-"

"Why did they call you an assassin?"

"Not going to be dissuaded, I see. I've killed a few of their friends over the years, and they've gotten it into their heads that I'm a hired assassin or some such nonsense. Complete bullshit of course."

"But they made it sound like an order."

"Brotherhood," Edward muttered. "Apparently the Order is something entirely different."

"Kenway! Can you _please_ stop accidentally betraying us?"

Thatch stared at them both. "So… there's a secret society of assassins, based on how hard you've been trying to hide it, and both of you are a part of it?"

James sighed, apparently giving up. "I am. They hate Kenway."

"Why?"

"He inadvertently betrayed them, a little while after we captured Great Inagua, and no one is ever going to let him forget it."

"I said I was sorry."

"That doesn't cut it, I'm afraid."

Blackbeard sighed. "And how do you know about them?"

"None of your business."

The tension in the room shot up several notches. Edward slid his chair forward. "Kidd, he meant nothing by it," he said in a placatory tone. "Actually, I've been wondering about that too."

"Well, I'm not telling you!"

"Okay, okay. Christ lad, you don't need to shout."

"Oh. Sorry."

James settled back in his seat. Edward looked at him, an expression that was a mixture of curiosity and vague worry on his face. There it was again; that worry that wasn't really necessary. Thatch knew he'd have to figure out what was going on between those two sooner or later, but not right then.

"And the soldiers?"

Kidd stayed silent, so Edward took over. "Templars. The, ah… archenemies of the Assassins."

"Don't be so dramatic."

"What would you call them, then?"

"Vicious, evil, insidious- want me to go on?"

Thatch looked at him. "What have you got against them personally?"

"None of your business."

Kidd's eyes were suspiciously bright, and Thatch decided not to push it. The last time he had seen that look on James Kidd's face was thirteen years ago, just after his father's hanging. It had taken that long to get him back to normal- well, as normal as the bastard son of Captain Kidd ever got. A legacy like that was hard to live up to, but he did all right. Thatch didn't like upsetting him, even so much later. The boy was like the son he never had.

"What now?"

James sighed. "Now I explain to my Mentor that Kenway did _not _sell us out to the Templars again, because they're after him as well."

"And then?"

"Then comes the fun part. We find out who did."

**There we go, part 3 done. The story of Captain Kidd's hanging is going to be another oneshot or short arc on here- not really Kiddway, just Mary's backstory, because she really needs one. So I might do that over the weekend if I haven't finished my fuck-it-Mary-can't-die thing. Until next time, and**

**REVIEW**

**-Bird**


	6. Delirium I

Delirium I

The Kiddway Collection

**Summary: **The AU of To Suffer Without Dying. Yeah, not much else to say.

**Word count: **1,300

**Um… hi?**

**I'm sorry this took so long. I meant to do it two weeks ago, I swear, but then our power went out for THREE DAYS. In the middle of winter. In Canada. The Valar hate me. Speaking of the Valar, anyone seen Desolation of Smaug? Such an amazing movie. Anyways, so the power was off until Christmas Eve, so I couldn't update, then of course I couldn't update on Christmas or Boxing Day (I really hate my parents sometimes), then I got Black Flag so I pretty much played that for a week straight. You can't blame me for that, can you? It's been a lot of fun. I managed to make a guard kill another guard without using berserk darts. Unfortunately I still have no clue how I did it. Ah well. I'm on Unmanned, so fuck yeah. If my parents would let me on the Xbox I probably wouldn't be here updating right now. I'd be locating Laurens Prins. Okay, I think I can hear some of you yelling at me to get on with the story already, so I'll shut up.**

**I still own nothing.**

It was cold. So, _so _cold.

It was the sort of cold that burned, digging straight through to her bones and then just sitting there. She could hear Anne calling for help in the next cell, but they both knew it wasn't going to come. The soldiers didn't give a damn about their prisoners; if she died the only thing they'd mourn was the lack of a hanging. But Anne kept yelling, kept hoping against hope that someone, _anyone_, would care enough to help her. She smiled. The Irishwoman was a good friend. But it was too late, wasn't it?

Mary knew she wasn't getting out. Even if someone came to get her she could barely move, much less walk. If she went with anyone, the only thing she'd accomplish was getting them killed. Besides, as time went by it seemed less and less likely that anyone was coming. She thought about Edward and Ah Tabai. They knew where she was, they knew what deep shit she was in- well, probably not the slowly dying part, but everything else –and they had probably guessed she'd need some help getting out. But no one had come yet, in the… how long? At least six months since they'd been captured. Sometimes she thought she saw them. Little flickers of motion in the shadows. But there was never anything there.

When she slept, she'd dream of freedom. Being able to run and climb and sail once more. But she couldn't do that. Not while she was in prison. Not while her son was still with the enemy. The boy had been taken from her mere hours after he was born, and a part of her was glad when they took him. At least he was safe. But now she lay on the floor of her cell, shivering in the cold and wishing for help. Knowing she was going to die.

Then he was there. She felt his warm hand against her cheek as he knelt beside her, talking to Anne, saying things she couldn't quite catch. He gently took her arm, pulling it around his shoulders and hauling her to her feet, letting her lean almost all her weight on him. It _hurt._ The ice that had settled in her was replaced by a fire, roaring across her frame.

"I can't…"

He hushed her, walking along the stone floors of the prison. They turned a corner and she could see the door just a couple dozen metres ahead, but it was too far for her, she didn't have enough left to give. She staggered towards the wall, dragging him with her. Mary pressed her hand against the cold stone, letting it hold her up. She barely held back a sob as the pain momentarily grew strong at the sudden movement.

"Stop… Please, stop."

She wasn't sure what she meant; whether she was talking to Edward, or begging for the pain to leave, or even wanting to give up and die, but the blonde pirate wouldn't let her.

"There's no way in hell I'm leaving you here, come on, lift your arm…"

He wrapped one arm around her waist, half carrying her along the hall. After a minute he picked her up, cradling her in the comforting warmth of his arms. But he still couldn't escape, he wasn't moving fast enough; as long as he was carrying her and trying not to cause her too much pain he was going too slowly to get out before the guards arrived. She pushed weakly at his arms.

"Edward, put me down."

He moved over to the wall once more, lowering her to the floor so she could lean against the stone, then crouched beside her. She forced a smile. "I won't have you dying on my account. Go."

He managed a laugh, but it sounded false even with the way her hearing seemed to be cutting out now. "You're such a pain in the arse. Dammit, you should have been the one to outlast me."

"I've done my part. Will you?"

He leaned forward. "I could, if you were with me. Mary, please…"

"I'll always be with you, Kenway. I will."

Mary Read closed her eyes and let herself drift away.

LINEBREAK

Edward stared at his friend's suddenly still body. "Mary?"

He reached forward, brushing her hair away from her face. One hand touched her throat as he desperately searched for a pulse. There! So faint he could barely feel it, but it was there. _She was alive. _He lifted her into his arms once more, racing for the door. He didn't give a damn about the soldiers chasing him. He had to get to Ah Tabai's boat, or Mary would almost certainly die. So he ran. Through the prison grounds to the shoreline, stopping by the side of the boat. Anne stared at Mary, still resting in his arms.

"What's wrong with her?"

Ah Tabai looked at him, searching his face for something. "Is she gone?"

He shook his head, glad to bring some good news at least. "She's alive. But if we don't her out of here _now _she won't stay that way for long."

The other two relaxed, Anne barely suppressing a cry of pain. Edward gently settled his friend in the boat and he and Ah Tabai shoved it out into the water, guiding it to safety. He would take Mary to Great Inagua; he had supplies there, and few people if any would see them. She was going to be all right.

She had to be all right.

**There! Part one is complete. Fair warning, the next part is kind of shit, and part three is a bit… I think the word to use would be overemotional. *shrugs* Nothing I can really do to fix it. Anyway, I'm not sure what to do next. Would like me to focus on this (which still needs me to write another part or two before it'll be completely written out), the Rescue Me arc (which I've finished writing, it just needs to be posted), or start something else? I was heading to the windmill to start the Unmanned mission when I went past a Templar hunt, and I thought about how funny it would be if one of the names on the map was Mary's, so if you think that would be a good idea, let me know. I can hear one of my cats snoring behind me, and it's getting annoying, so I'll wrap this up. Until next time, and**

**REVIEW**

**-Bird**


	7. Delirium II

Delirium II

The Kiddway Collection

**Hey everyone! Sorry it's taken me awhile to continue this. I've been getting lots of projects in school… But I've finally managed to make time for an update, so that's good, right? On another note, this chapter is where things start to get a bit overemotional. I really need you guys to review and tell me what you think, or I'll probably lose what little courage I have left… By the way, I'm not happy with AC4 right now. One, there's no horses and because my parents got the Xbox One I'll probably have to wait ages before any of the other AC games are available, and two, I'm on the mission where Thatch dies… THATCH, WHY?!**

**Word count: 1,556**

**I still own nothing**

When Mary woke up, it was dark.

Now, darkness didn't bother her unduly. She was an Assassin; used to operating at night. Anyways, a pirate who could only work in daylight was a pretty shit pirate. The problem was that she had spent the last six months, near as she could tell, in almost complete darkness with only a handful of guttering torches for light, and now it felt like she was _there_ again. Fucking Jamaican prisons. She sat up, opening her eyes as wide as she could in the faint hope that she'd be able to see. She couldn't, of course.

_Okay, Mary. Think. Last thing I remember… Edward. He saved us, didn't he? So he should be around somewhere, unless he's busy with something else. Or unless he failed and now we're both dead, or as near as makes no difference._

"Edward?"

Silence. Sheer silence. Mary listened as hard as she could, hunting for the faintest trace of movement. Nothing.

_Maybe he's asleep? It's dark out- he must be tired. He's probably asleep._

She swore quietly to herself. _He has to be here. I'm sure he's here somewhere…_

Mary considered getting up, but remembering what had happened the last time she had tried standing she decided it would be better to stay lying down. She swallowed, fighting back a sudden wave of fear. What if… What if Edward _hadn't_ saved her? What if it just been a dream? No, it had to be real. It _had _to be, because if it wasn't… She couldn't deal with that. Too much had happened in too short a time for her to deal with that.

"Edward?!"

She waited, praying for an answer, hoping for him to appear, to _say_ something. But there was nothing.

"_Edward!_"

Footsteps. Running footsteps. The door slid open and Edward came in, carrying a candle. "Mary? You're awake. Thank god. Are you all right?"

For a moment she couldn't respond, too relieved by the fact that this _wasn't _a dream, it was over and she was safe. Then she frowned and shrugged. _Was _she all right? Hell if she knew. Edward sat on a chair next to her bed; strange, she hadn't noticed that was there. In the candlelight, he looked… tired. No, exhausted.

_How long, Edward? How long have you been waiting for me?_

Because that was what he'd been doing, wasn't it? He'd been waiting for her to wake up. But how long? How long had she been unconscious, _how long _had that chair been sitting by her bedside as he _waited _for her?

"How long?"

"What?"

"How long has it been, since you broke Anne and I out of prison?"

He didn't answer, avoiding her gaze as best he could, and she rolled her eyes. "I may have been half dead the last time we spoke, but I'm still willing to try and beat you within an inch of your life, so just tell me _how long_ it's been!"

"Two weeks."

"What?! I've been unconscious for _two weeks?!_"

He frowned. "No. You woke up a couple of times. Never for long, but… You don't remember?"

"No. Why don't I remember?" That wasn't strictly true. Now she knew what to look for, she could just remember Edward talking to her, but the recollections were foggy and dreamlike.

He rubbed the back of his neck, resting the candle on the arm of his chair. "I guess it kind of makes sense… You weren't particularly… _with it_, if you know what I mean."

She sighed. "I think I do. How's Anne?"

"Worried. She has a son now; I don't know how he is. I've been… preoccupied."

Mary leaned back against the wall. "Where are we, anyway?"

"Great Inagua."

"Ah. Of course. Do you think you could get something to drink?"

She looked away. It was so _embarrassing_, having to rely on Edward fucking Kenway of all people. She would never live it down.

"Sure. Water good enough?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Uh, could you possibly leave the candle?"

He frowned. "Alright…"

He didn't ask why she wanted him to leave it. Mary was glad about that. Assassins were _not_ supposed to be afraid of the dark. If he knew she was terrified of being left alone in the inky blackness alone… Well. He was a pirate. No way would it remain a secret. Edward slid back through the door and headed down the hall. She chuckled at the sounds of him tripping over something and swearing quietly, then settled down to wait.

LINEBREAK

"Mary?"

A hand rested on her shoulder, drawing her out of an uneasy sleep. Mary opened her eyes, gazing blearily at Edward.

"Aye?"

"Sorry to wake you, but…" His voice trailed off and he awkwardly waved a glass. She chuckled, sitting up and grabbing it from him.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome." He hesitated. "Are you all right now?"

"I guess so. Not much I could do about it if I wasn't, anyway."

He probably understood that statement translated to _no, but there's nothing I can do about it_, but he didn't comment. Instead, he leaned back in his chair and rested his feet on the edge of her bed. She glared at him.

"Feet. Off."

He chuckled, but didn't move. She slapped his leg, irritated by the lack of the instant obedience she had become accustomed to. "Jaysus, Kenway! Move your feet!"

"But they're comfortable. Look, you may be absolutely terrifying most of the time, but right now you're about as dangerous as a puppy. Not very intimidating, lass."

She raised an eyebrow. "A puppy? Really?" Then a thought struck her. "Wait a second. Terrifying? Is the great Captain Kenway actually scared of me?"

"Have you heard the stories? Apparently you once stopped an entire army by speaking to their commander for twenty minutes, then you killed him after he called them off; to stop him from telling anyone what you did, they say. That's pretty scary."

"Wuss."

He chuckled. "Well, can you blame me? No one knows what you did."

"I spent twenty minutes in a room with him, alone, then killed him to stop him saying anything. What do you think I- ah!" Mary cried out as a sudden waved of pain coursed through her, forcing her to curl up into a ball. It hurt like _hell_, so much she could hardly breathe through it.

"Mary!"

Edward pressed one hand to her shoulder, silently giving her the comfort she desperately needed to weather the storm. After a moment the pain subsided and she sat up slowly, tears streaming from her eyes. Strangely, Edward didn't move his hand. She absently rested hers on top of it, a silent message for him to leave it there.

"Edward… What's wrong with me?"

He shook his head. "I… I don't know. But you're going to make it. I swear, Mary, you're going to be fine."

He turned his hand in her grip, gently rubbing his thumb along the back of her hand. It felt… nice. She managed a weak smile that couldn't possibly convince him of anything except her continuing fear. He smiled back, and it was _much_ more realistic than hers. "You should sleep."

"I doubt I can."

Edward pushed her back against the pillows, pulling the sheets over her with his free hand. "I know. But you have to at least try." He stood, lifting his hand from her shoulder. "Sleep."

"Stay here," she murmured impulsively. Her eyes were starting to close now; she was already half asleep. "Please? Just until I fall asleep."

He sat down again. "All right. I'll stay."

She smiled. Her eyes slid closed, and she let herself rest. Edward gently took her hand again, leaning back in his chair. He'd said he'd stay until Mary fell asleep; he'd actually stay until morning. He wasn't leaving her alone. Not after seeing her so… not weak. No, not weak, never weak, but… _vulnerable._

It wasn't often the proud, deadly, and to be honest downright _cocky_ Assassin needed his help. Now that she did, there was no way he'd let her down.

**Done at last. Holy shit, I'm so tired. Gonna go back to bed now. Oh, important: I am not a doctor. Neither is anyone in my family. So if I got any medical stuff wrong, though there is very little of it, please cut me some slack. Also, I really do need reviews. If I don't get any, I will probably go hide under a digital rock for the next five years. As always, until next time and**

**REVIEW**

**-Bird**


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